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6034800 
Journal Article 
Aspects of the Food and Feeding Habits of African Snakehead Parachanna obscura (Gunther, 1861) in Orashi River, Nigeria 
Agokei, EI; Jamabo, NA; Njoku, CC 
2013 
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The food and feeding habits of African snakehead Parachanna obscura from the fresh water reaches of Orashi River, Rivers State, Nigeria were investigated. A total of Eighty adults and juveniles fish samples were collected from the local fishers. Fishes were caught using hook and line and non-returned traditional basket traps. The stomachs were open for each fish and the contents was removed and preserved in 4% formalin. Analysis of stomach contents was done by a combination of frequency of occurrence and numerical methods. The food items in the stomach of Parachanna obscura covered a wide feeding range, juveniles fishes were basically benthic feeding on nematode worms, fish larvae, tadpole larvae and insect. Adult Parachanna obscura are surface or benthic feeders, feeding mostly on fish, nematode worms, crustaceans, insect and tadpoles. This suggests that, Parachanna obscura is a carnivore and is also considered as piscivore-insectivore-invertivore in feeding habits. 
Ecology Abstracts; ASFA Aquaculture Abstracts; ASFA 1: Biological Sciences & Living Resources; Orashi River parachanna obscura; Stomach content; Carnivores; Stomach; Amphibiotic species; Juveniles; Aquatic insects; Freshwater; Formaldehyde; Feeding; Parachanna obscura; Freshwater environments; Fish larvae; Mathematical models; Nigeria; Nematoda; Feeding behaviour; D 04040:Ecosystem and Ecology Studies; Q1 08425:Nutrition and feeding habits; Q3 08583:Shellfish culture